Best camera for Sports

My favorite choice for sports photos (for most people, most of the time) is the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 (get it from Amazon). It lets you take great action pictures without having to be an expert.

For sports photos, you need to zoom in so that your favorite athlete can fill up the frame. You also need to be able to freeze action. There are technical terms to describe what the camera actually does to freeze action (specifically, setting a higher shutter speed) If learning those photography terms (and changing lenses) sounds fun to you, then get a DSLR. If you just want to take great action shots, get a superzoom like the FZ1000.

There are lots of decent superzooms available, but you get what you pay for. The FZ1000 is the best superzoom because it has an excellent lens and the biggest sensor. It's the physical size of the sensor that matters here, not the number of megapixels (in fact, you can pretty much ignore megapixels when buying any camera these days). It's also really simple to use.

Example picturesDon't worry about the specs or what a professional photographer can do with a camera - worry about the results you are going to get with a camera. Here are sports pictures real people took with the FZ1000 on Flickr. There's no reason you can't get results as good as these:

You might be able to save money buying a "gray market" version of this camera (like this one on Amazon), but the buying experience isn't as deluxe. A gray market camera was intended to be sold outside of the US, so you might have language issues with the menus or documentation, and you might not be able to get warranty help. If you're the type of person who'd do anything for a bargain, then search around and go for it, but personally, I'd rather just get the fully warranted version on Amazon, because I know I can trust it.

A smaller optionAll superzooms are fairly small, but because the FZ1000 has the biggest sensor - the very thing that makes it better - it's also one of the biggest overall superzooms you can get ... and that means it's just a little too big for some people. If you have small hands or want to carry a bit less, then consider the Panasonic FZ300. It's a bit smaller and lighter than the FZ1000, and it still takes excellent pictures - just not quite as excellent as its big brother (again, because it has a smaller sensor).

An even cheaper option (less than $300)My one gripe with the FZ300 is that it's almost as expensive as the FZ1000. If you want to spend even less money, get the older Panasonic FZ200. It's still pretty great - in fact, it's my overwhelming choice for a sub-$300 superzoom (here it is on Amazon). Like the FZ300, it has a pretty small sensor, so it's never going to capture as much detail as the FZ1000. This doesn't make a huge difference for posting photos on facebook or making 4x6 prints, but everything else being equal, a bigger sensor is going to take better pictures (and if you want to make big prints, you'll definitely notice the difference).

The FZ200 feels older than the both the FZ1000 and FZ300 because it is (the screen isn't as bright, startup is a little slower, records 1080p video instead of 4k, etc.). That said, it's less than $300! It has the same size sensor as the FZ300, yet it costs barely half as much. If you don't need to have the latest and greatest, then you might as well save your money and get the FZ200.

To put it simply, if you can afford it, get the FZ1000 - the bigger sensor is worth it. If you can't afford it (or if you really need a little bit smaller camera), then get the FZ200.

I prefer these Panasonics over their competitors, because each has a lens that lets in more light. For taking indoor pictures of gymnastics meets, basketball games, swim meets, etc., that makes a huge difference.

What else is a superzoom good for?A superzoom like the FZ1000 is an extremely versatile camera, so if you get one, you'll be able to use it for just about everything. In addition to being ideal for sports, it's a great travel camera (just not as small and light as my favorite travel camera). It's also a great camera for taking pictures of your kids and candid moments (it's just not as drop-dead easy to use as my favorite family camera - or as readily available as your iPhone). You can even tinker with settings and use it as a tool to learn about photography (but if that's your primary objective, you're better off getting a DSLR).

The FZ1000 is an incredible all-around camera. With it you'll be able to take amazing sports photos and so much more. If you think it might the best camera for you, then don't hesitate ... just hop on over to Amazon and get one!